Commissioners issue grant to expand emergency preparedness program for older adults

Aug. 10—The Douglas County Board of Commissioners recently awarded a $107,800 grant to Douglas Public Health Network (DPHN) to expand the new and wildly successful Emergency Preparedness Program for Older Adults in Douglas County.

The innovative emergency preparedness program for older adults, a cooperative undertaking between DPHN, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners and Douglas County Senior Services, launched in March 2023 after receiving a $7,500 Elder Services Innovation Grant from the Oregon Office of Rural Health and kick start funding from the County to help pay for the first 200 preparedness handbooks and starter go-kits.

This program is the first of its kind in Oregon and has received an enormous praise from federal, state and county agencies for its dynamic approach to helping older adults become better prepared during emergencies. DPHN staff, in concert with Douglas County Senior Services staff, have been busy conducting presentations all around the county and have been asked to present program details about the successful program at conferences around Oregon.

What made this particularly program unique was the delivery system. The program tapped into the existing network within Douglas County's Bistro-Sixty rural senior dining sites and Meals on Wheels delivery routes to get preparedness information and starter go-kits out to the first group of older adults. Click here to read the initial program kick-off press release.

"While DPHN is no stranger to preparedness education, we continue to see and hear reports about the increased vulnerability of older adults, who tend to be less prepared and fare far worse than most during disasters. Those statistics inspired our staff to work with the county to create a preparedness education program that would help us teach older adults how to prepare and take care of themselves in the event of an emergency. We are so grateful to the Douglas County Commissioners for this grant and for their support of this program," stated Teresa Mutschler, Executive Director at DPHN.

Recognizing the success of the program, Commissioner Kress approached DPHN and expressed interest in expanding the program to be able to reach even more of Douglas County's senior population.

After a few discussions, DPHN noted that their biggest need was the funding to pay for the printing of additional preparedness handbooks and to acquire the necessary supplies for the starter go-kits. The new grant was initiated by the Board of Commissioners and paid for out of County COVID relief funds making it possible for the program to expand its reach and distribute an additional 1,900 preparedness handbooks and starter go-kits to older adults in Douglas County. The group is currently conducting presentations for older adults at rural fire departments, senior centers, and schools across Douglas County.

"While we have had more than our fair share of disasters in the last few years, I continue to be proud of the tenacity and the resiliency of Douglas County residents. We figure out how to get things done and we take care of each other. This amazing program helps to build on that tradition, by providing the most vulnerable among us (our seniors) with the tools they need to better prepare for when the next disaster strikes," commented Douglas County Board Chair and Commissioner Tom Kress.

Since the program's inception, the trio has collaborated with several agencies including the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Douglas County Emergency Management, Douglas Forest Protective Association, American Red Cross, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create the 56-page emergency preparedness handbook, appropriately titled Umpqua Prepared and gathered essential items for starter "Go Kits."

The new handbook, which utilized Jackson and Josephine County's emergency preparedness handbooks as inspiration, was written and crafted specifically for the residents of Douglas County, Oregon by the staff at DPHN. It serves as a guide for residents "to help them be the help until help arrives.' The handbook discusses common regional hazards; offers preparedness fundamentals; highlights special considerations; provides guides for emergency kits; and offers links to other local resources.

The starter go-kits contain a three-day supply of essential items for survival in the event of an emergency. The go-kits provided with the older adult preparedness program contain a copy of the handbook, a whistle, waterproof matches, a poncho, an emergency thermal blanket, hand sanitizer, gloves, masks, a flashlight, a lantern with batteries, toilet paper, ready-to-prepare meals, first aid kit, water disinfectant kit, DCSO's Citizen Alert information, and a backpack.

Older adults are encouraged to additional items to the kit that fit their specific needs including prescription medicines, clothing, pet food, water, personal items, and a cell phone charger. DPHN also received a prestigious American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) for $12,500 in May for the program. All of the grants and donations received thus far will go directly towards the purchase of supplies for the program and provides an opportunity for DPHN to use the funding to leverage private, regional and national grants.

"Emergency preparedness is overwhelming for most older adults, so getting started is the key. This program stimulates the conversation, provides the basic preparedness tools, aids with resiliency, and increases the ability for older adults to continue living independently," commented Vanessa Becker, Public Information Officer & Public Health Modernization at DPHN.

According to the 2022 U.S. Census, 26.3% of our total population in Douglas County is 65 years and older. And with seniors being a high-risk group, it's imperative that we do everything we can to help them prepare and plan in the event of an emergency or disaster. While the preparedness handbooks are available for free to anyone in Douglas County (printed copies while supplies last or as a download from the DPHN website), currently the starter go-kits (also while supplies last) are only available for older adults who attend the presentations. It's important to note that being prepared is different for every single person, and residents should customize their emergency kits and evacuation plans to meet their individual needs. For more information about how to help you and your family prepare and plan for an emergency check out the resources available at www.ready.gov.